Recommendation for Cave Instructor near Ginnie Springs

[AceszHigh]

Looking to take my cavern course soon.can you all recommend me a good instructor (and how to get in contact with them)? Preferably one who teaches at Ginnie Springs since I think I'll be camping there. Thanks!

 

[TSwain]

I took my Intro Class with Johnny Richards back in April. He will come to Ginnie Springs and teach and has a web page you can comtact him at:

Johnny Richards Web Page

Great instructor, makes it fun and you learn alot from him!

 

[ucfdiver]

Looking to take my cavern course soon.can you all recommend me a good instructor (and how to get in contact with them)? Preferably one who teaches at Ginnie Springs since I think I'll be camping there. Thanks!

I would strongly suggest doing your training at multiple locations. We've got a lot of lazy instructors who do the entire course at Ginnie, but it's not to your advantage IMO. Find one that will take you to Peacock, OG, Ballroom, and the Ear (or similar combination) so you get exposed to a variety of environments.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

I second what James said. Also interview some instructors and dont settle for what you HEAR. Your life does depend on this.

 

[b1gcountry]

Talk to Jim Wyatt. He does a lot of classes at Ginnie, and lives close by. For Cavern, I think you're fine doing all your training at Ginnie.

 

[dl348]

Jim Wyatt was my cavern and basic cave instructor, we actually lives near Ginnie and teaches there quite a bit. He's tough but fair. Good luck with your decision.

 

[RJP]

I took Cavern with Dan Patterson.

www.CentralFloridaDiversInc.com

Highly recommended... as are the names mentioned in the posts above and likely most of the ones mentioned in the posts that will follow below.

As other have said - and will say - talk to a few. Find someone who's teaching style fits your learning style

 

[RJP]

For Cavern, I think you're fine doing all your training at Ginnie.

+1

Yeah, it would be nice to see other sites. However, it's a busy few days, and I can't see any tremendously great reason to spend time packing up and moving from one site to another. Time that could otherwise be spent briefing/debriefing/reviewing/doing skills in OW in the spring, etc.

 

[ucfdiver]

+1

Yeah, it would be nice to see other sites. However, it's a busy few days, and I can't see any tremendously great reason to spend time packing up and moving from one site to another. Time that could otherwise be spent briefing/debriefing/reviewing/doing skills in OW in the spring, etc.

Different rock formations, flow, silt, conditions, etc are all things that effect your dive. I've seen people who can't run a reel at Little River if the rebar isn't there because they can't find a tie off. It's why people who only dive Peacock or only dive Ginnie/JB typically suck when they get thrown something new.

Just my $0.02.

 

[RJP]

Different rock formations, flow, silt, conditions, etc are all things that effect your dive. It's why people who only dive Peacock or only dive Ginnie/JB typically suck.

We're talking CAVERN class here, James.